The War Pianist

This is an intense WWII read.
I learned that radio operators during the war were referred to as pianists for their quick fingers messaging in Morse Code.
Always in danger, on the move, and straining to listen closely for any indication that the Germans had caught up with them, these men and women played a very important part in helping the resistance.
In this story, a radio operator in Holland is desperate to connect with her contact in London, during the Blitz.
Read on for heart stopping moments as the Dutch resistance fights for their country and lives.

A mid aged spinster is working as a production assistant for the BBC who is set on her routine with few friends other than her grandfather to whom she is findly attached, War is declared and finally London is being blitzed under which she has to suffer every day until one day the worse happens and grandfather is killed in his shop. She decides to visit the bombed shop to recover anything of sentimental value. In doing so she finds a radio transmitter set hidden in the cellar. This becomes a turning point in her life. Grandfather was working for the Free Dutch government in London as their radio link to the Netherlands and have told them to get his granddaughter take over should anything happen to him. There by starts a journey where she has two jobs, her normal one and a secret one that in time gets her dropped into the Netherlands as a radio operator to maintain contact with London, and helping to save people hunted by the Gestapo. Under stress, how she transforms from a staid office worker into a spy, sending messages under fear of discovery and assuming disguises to walk under the noses of German soldiers is an exciting and engrossing story,

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the review copy!

“The War Pianist” by Mandy Robotham is a great historical fiction. I absolutely love Mandy Robothams books, so I had to read this one as well. And I am happy I did. This is yet another lovely book of this incredible author.

The story is set in July 1940. Marnie Fern’s grandfather dies in an air raid. She suddenly finds out that he has been working as a radio operative (called a Pianist).
Corrie Bakker is also a Pianist, and she ends up in a very dangerous situation. She fights to protect her family, but also herself.

This is a book about two incredible women. They fight for their own lives, but also for a lot of other people's lives. They fight for justice!

The story seems trustworthy. Mandy Robotham captures the historical elements very well.

The characters are written with so much depth and so many emotions that you can not help but feel sympathy with them.

Mandy Robotham is an incredible author. “The War Pianist” is yet another example of that! A beautiful, strong and lovely story!

What a great book, loved it, never a moment of boredom. So much happening with the plot. Great research for the history of the time thoroughly recommend.

July 1940
Marnie Fern works as a production assistant for the BBC in London. She is devasted to hear that her grandfather has been killed while working at his shop. While visiting the ruins, as she wants something to remember him by, she meets Willem who tells her that her grandfather worked for the resistance as a Pianist, which was also known as a Radio operator. Tapping Morse coded messages to and from the resistance in Amsterdam. She tells Willem what she does at the BBC to Willem and tells her she will be a great candidate to be a Pianist herself. Taking over the duties left from her grandfather. She agrees to help them fight the war against the Nazi’s.
Whilst working she builds up a relationship which one of the resistance operators in the Netherlands Corrie Bakker who has connection to Willem. When Willem receives a letter telling him that Corrie has gone missing. His first action is to decide to go and find out what happened to her. Marnie decides to go with him to help him find her.
The War Pianist by Mandy Rob is the sixth book from the author that I have read and another powerful and emotional story about the Resistance in WW11. From the first page I was intrigued. As I have heard a lot of the Resistance in France but not so much of what happened to the people that risked their lives in the Netherlands and the horrors that they endured. This is another 5-star read from the author. I highly recommend.

The War Pianist is emotionally charged and gorgeously written book about WWII in both London's Blitz and Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Marnie works with the BBC, an orphan a dear grandfather who is her mentor. As a tailor he taught young Marnie his tailoring trademarks and they played games with Morse code. Little did she know it would save her and others' lives. After his awful death she decided to continue his mission with the Resistance by sending/receiving coded message. She meets Willem who introduces her to the right people on the right side and she is in business, though she must move from her home. He knew Marnie's grandfather.

Corrie is the intelligence at the end of Marnie's messages and was linked to Marnie's grandfather. Connie is desperate to save the lives of her own family and is willing to pay for it with her life. A few messages are written in the book which adds that bit of personal oomph. Each character is immersed in the war by one way or the other and we see grim realities of twisted bodies, deceptions, blackout, underground shelters. and meagre food rationing, Death pervades the air in many forms and survival is the goal. In books we have bits and pieces to go on but this one has soul woven into it in a beautiful way which makes this story beautiful.

Historical Fiction fans, if you are seeking a new perspective in this genre, this is for you. It will be interesting to see what author Mandy Robotham writes next!

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this lovely book.

July, 1940

This gripping and heartbreaking WW11 historical fiction is set in Blitz-ridden London and Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

In London:

The story tells us how Marnie after the death of her grandfather replaced him at his post and became an undercover radio operator or pianist for the Dutch resistance and set to complete his mission at any cost.

While in Amsterdam:

Fellow pianist Corrie Bakker is at the other end of the wireless and trying to survive caught in a cat and mouse game.

My thoughts:

Powerful and haunting, Ms. Robotham captures the tension and fear in her unique and captivating style. This story is well-written, fast-paced and very suspenseful. With multiple points of views this gripping story of Morse code, adventure, bravery and courage is one of a kind and very hard to put down, it has so much to offer. I was utterly invested in the characters’ lives, they seemed so real. Richly told you can picture the rubble left behind and hear the bombs falling even smell the cordite in the air and the scary marching boots in Amsterdam.

Set in the era I love to read “The War Pianist” ticks all the boxes for me: vivid descriptions, interesting insights in the resistance, wonderful characterization and a compelling storyline that flows very well.

Marnie is a single woman working for the BBC in London. Her parents have moved to Scotland to escape the worst of the bombing and all Marnie has left are her grandfather and her cousin Suzie .
One night while going to visit her grandfather she is caught in an air raid and has to shelter. Marnie later finds that her grandfather' s tailors shop has been bombed and he has not survived.
She then meets Willam who tells her that her grandfather was a secret radio operator working for the Dutch resistance.
I don't want to give any more of this story away. I liked Marnie and you couldn't have found someone less likely to be involved in helping the resistance than she was.
The story started off slowly, painting the scene for what was to come. All of a sudden the book took off at a fast pace. We meet Corrie and my heart was beating faster and faster as we find out what danger she is in. Then everyone is in danger.
This is a book I could see as film as it's full of great characters, even the ones we only meet briefly are so well described I could see them in front of me.
I can only imagine what those brave people who were in the resistance in the countries held by the Germans went through. They were so brave.
A really good read and kept me on the edge of my seat. I have read another book by the author, The Girl Behind theWall and I can recommend that one too. It's another book that kept me on the edge of my seat.

There’s no tickling the ivories in this one!

Go into this one blind. Don’t read the synopsis.

You’ll have to read to find out what a ‘war pianist’ really is and why they were essential to the resistance movement.

I loved that both pianists, one in Blitzed London and one in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam relied on their skill and put their life on the line for the war effort. Robotham made sure her readers knew exactly what was involved in this risk and the tension is palpable. As I got further into the book, I realized how similar these two girls’ journeys really were and the trust they needed to develop in each other to survive. I appreciated the fresh perspective of ‘fighting’ in the Dutch resistance.

Robotham wraps her readers tightly in her taut plot and continues to feed the tension with brazen acts of bravery, the acknowledgement of a mole within the ranks, and imprisonment. Counterbalancing it is a much-needed respite full of love and, albeit complicated, romance. I felt as though I were right there with Corrie and Marnie because Robotham appealed to my 5 senses and allowed me to enter the mind of a war pianist. I’ll admit to being a little let down with the ending, but appreciated the fine writing in this survival against-all-odds story. As always, Robotham amazes me with her skill to place me in the action and leave me with thankfulness for my freedom.

Congratulations on a fantastic cover!

I was gifted this spectacular story by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

When I picked up this book, I imagined a concert pianist was somewhere in the story much like the Holocaust survivor in the movie and book, “The Pianist.” Yet, the “perfect pianist” was rather one with flying fingers translating Morse code at a fast speed during WWII. The story follows two radio translators: Marnie (known as Lizzy) in London and Corrie (known as Daisy) in Amsterdam.

Like Mandy Robotham’s other WWII books, the story grabs you from the beginning with the hope that the characters will survive through their dangerous missions. There is suspense in every chapter which builds into an intense ending. We know the outcome of the war. However, the reader is left with a great admiration for the group of brave workers of the Dutch resistance fighters against Nazi Germany. It was when trust meant everything.

Marnie’s Grandad was not to tell a soul of his work with the radio surveillance. It made me think of my dad who during WWII used Morse code but wouldn’t talk about it. However, I heard him tap the table at times as if the machine was in front of him wondering what he just spelled out.

The story and vivid characters don’t go away. It lingers in the reader’s mind with what the courageous behind-the-scenes workers did to take back their country. Perhaps their names aren’t carved in stone, but books like this make us remember what they did to stop the madness.

My thanks to Mandy Robotham, Avon Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy with an expected release date of February 16, 2023.

A great novel about the resistance effort in Denmark and the Netherlands in WW2. A inspirational story of the horrors and tragedy endured by the resistance fighters. A fast paced novel that will hold your attention. A great read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another well written story by Mandy Robotham, who has become one of my favourite historical authors. Marnie works for the BBC and used to play games with her beloved grandfather using Morse code. After he is killed in the blitz she discovers he was a radio operator helping the Dutch resistance. She is recruited to take his place and we discover the shadowy world in London at the time. The place is full of divided loyalties and danger. When the Dutch radio goes quiet and her new friends have to go back to Holland to help the resistance, she fully commits and goes with them. Rich characters, another lesser known part of world war two history with an engrossing story to bring it all together.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read Many Robotham's latest book.
It is set in England at the start of WW II. London is bombed and Marnie Fern goes to her grandfather's store to find it was destroyed during the raid. She walks through the store of what is left of it and finds a secret room where her grandfather was working undervover as a radio opperative for the Dutch resistance.
Marnie meets up with a Dutch resistance worker in London and soon becomes a radio opperative.
Marnie is communicating with Corrie Bakker in The Netherlands.
Soon the Dutch cell is compromised. But who is the mole?
I found this book a little slow to start, but I kept up with reading it am I ever glad that I did.
When the characters are in The Netherlands the suspense really picks up.
I have read all of Mandy's books and have enjoyed every one of them.

The War Pianist grabbed me from the first page. Marnie Fern works for the BBC and the Blitz is in full swing. She loves her job and the people she works with. Then one night her grandfather is killed by a Nazi bomb and her life changes forever. Her grandfather had secrets he'd never shared with Marnie, including that he was a "pianist", a radio operator for the Dutch resistance. Then Marnie meets Willem, her grandfather's Dutch contact, who convinces her to take her grandfather's place and help the nascent Dutch resistance, who are desperate for information. Her contact in Holland? Daisy....and Marnie becomes Lizzie. As Marnie gets deeper into her resistance activities, she feels a connection building between "Lizzy" and "Daisy", until suddenly, Daisy is off the air. But who is Daisy, and what his her relationship to the enigmatic Willem?

Alternating between Marnie in London and Daisy in Holland, The War Pianist is a vivid telling of the two women and the connections between them. Well written, fast paced, and suspenseful, it's one of those "can't put it down" kind of books!

The War Pianist is the second Mandy Robotham novel I have read via NetGalley. As was the case of that first novel, The War Pianist focuses on the roles of women in dealing with the Nazi occupation of Northern European countries during WWII. A portion of The War Pianist takes place in London during the Blitz. The final third of the novel moves to Amsterdam. The entire novel, though, is fraught with tension and the risk of betrayal.

Robotham does a fine job of creating believable characters. The primary characters are two women, one in London, Marnie, and one in Amsterdam, Corrie. Both of them are connected via a two-way radio, Morris code, and a Dutch war refugee, Willem. These individuals are brave enough to risk their lives helping people behind enemy lives, using Morris code. This novel includes an element of espionage about which most people know little. Marnie and Corrie are two very ordinary women, who are willing to risk their lives to help the allies win the war. These are characters and a plot that capture the readers' attention. It was difficult to put down this novel.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing this ARC for me to read and review. The comments above are my honest thoughts about The War Pianist. Robotham is an author whose books should not be missed. Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to such a terrific writer.

Wow! This is the first of Mandy Robotham’s books I’ve read and it definitely won’t be the last. My favourite genre anyway but so skilfully woven together using multiple pov. I had never read about the Dutch resistance before & it was both fascinating and moving. Loved the character of Marnie.

I had no idea that war pianist was the name given to radio transmitter operators either. Awesome read. I shall be seeing out more by this author immediately!

Well written with a compelling storyline that is full of action and suspense and well developed charcaters some of whom I loved. This book game me all the feels, sometimes I was hopeful, sometimes I was on the edge of my seat and sometimes I was reaching for a tissue. I loved it.

The War Pianst is the second Mandy Robotham novel I have had the priviledge to read and review and I feel extra-ordinarily pleased and excited to have been granted the assignment. It is a thoroughly riveting book, one that made my pulse rate soar, made me hold my breath in suspense and fear for the characters in the danger zones and read far into the wee hours of night. Definitely one of those heart-stopping action-packed works of historical fiction where the punches just keep coming and coming unabated.

Action begins simmering and percolating in London during WWII Blitz days with 'mild' acts of resistance through Morse-coded radio contact with secret messages swiftly zinging to and fro London and Amsterdam. The ante is upped significantly and moved to Holland where the resistance to Hilter and his mean men began to take a foothold.

I like that this author used a so-called, 'ordinary and mundane' woman who thinks little of herself and her own abilitiies and took her outside of her boxed-in self in ways that astounds her - you know the scenario where one needs to pinch oneself to see if what is happening is reality. Such was Miss Marnie Fern of BBC, and the main character in this thrilling tale. Other characters with spine and some with dubiousness, are: Gatsby; Corrie; Willem; Daisy, Lizzy, Darcy, Jan, Gus, Dirk, dear young Felix, Miss Roach, Raymond and the abominable Lother Selig, to name a few. There is also sadness, after all, there's a war on, but also a touch of romance, humor, and good naturededness, which when all combined, creates a kaleidoscope of exceptional enjoyment.

I highly recommend this book and authoress, who certainly has earned a 5-Star rating from me!

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

November 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this opportunity.

Once again, author Mandy Robotham has delivered a fabulous read.

The book follows the lives of those in war torn England, London and the Dutch resistance in Holland. The resistance is small compared to the French but is equally effective in rescuing, hiding and transporting refugees and those deemed enemies of Germany as well as having a fighting force. Corrie, who goes under the code name of Daisy, is the Dutch radio operator to her English counterpart.

London, Marnie Fern is very close to her grandfather, a tailor who is still going about his business even with the Nazis bombing the life out of London. The blitz is in full swing. Her parents left London on first notice of the English involvement of yet another war, WW2. Marnie has elected to keep working and remain in London, working for the BBC although many work colleagues have left to the outer regions of England. Staying in London also means she can keep in regular contact with her grandfather.

She emerges from the underground shelter that she was pushed into by the tide of humanity and heads towards her grandfather's desperately hoping that last night's bombing has left him unscathed only to discover that the air raid has destroyed everything. Rushing beyond the barriers she desperately looks for him. After being told the bad news she is determined to see him; he isn't marked, no physical wounds and looks so peaceful she can't believe he is dead.

She heads off to work and after relating her grief to a work colleague she is given the day off and later on at nightfall Marnie, still distraught and in need to calm her shattered emotions, returns to her grandfather's workshop, gathers some of his personal effects and work tools, including Oscar, (to be picked up later), the only tailor's dummy to survive, so many memories for her. During this process she finds a hidden cupboard and to her amazement a radio and on this discovery the books related to obvious codes and with morse code coming from the transmitter, Marnie realises that it's in English and deciphers the tapping. Grandfather had taught her morse code as a child. As she climbs the stairs to leave with her bounty, a voice, that of an ARP man, challenges her about what she has collected (looting is rife during these times). Marnie protests her innocence quickly stating why she is there but the man responds with "I know what you have there…..it's a radio". He softens his manner, naming her grandfather and acknowledges her by name and suggests they securely hide the radio again and in a nonchalant manner suggests a drink for which he removes his uniform revealing a tall well dressed man, to which she remarks that he isn't an ARP man at all but he reassures her that it's his night off. Marnie, against her better judgment, agrees to go with him. At the bar Willem fills her in about his connection to her grandfather and how he was assisting the Dutch resistance. He reveals a lot about her grandfather that she didn't know, his involvement in WW1 and his work for the Radio Security Service. All this is new to Marnie and its beginning to take a toll on her well being, longing for her boring life. However, as Willem has been well informed of her skill with morse code asks if she would be prepared to takeover grandfather's role. She ponders this request and agrees to help, after all, grandfather was still able to work at tailoring while assisting Willem which would mean that she could do the same.

However, Marnie eventually finds herself in situations she would never have dreamed of as she launches herself into the dangerous activities of the Dutch resistance, espionage and double agents along with the complicated relationship between Corrie and Willem.

Well who knew that a pianist in Ww1/2 is a controller or operator of a radio transmitter, tapping Morse fast as if playing a lively tune on a piano?? It’s July 1940 and Corrie Bakker in an Amsterdam under Nazi occupation, works for the Resistance. Danger approaches on all sides as she desperately tries to protect her family from the encroaching threats especially in the form of rising Abwehr ‘star’ Lothar Selig.

London in September 1940 is raining fire courtesy of the Luftwaffe intent on bringing Britain to her knees in the Blitz. Marnie Fern who works at the BBC, picks her way through the burning debris to the safety of the Underground. Once the raid ends she makes her way to her beloved grandad’s house to discover he has been killed in the attack. She’s further shocked by the discovery that he’s been working as a pianist connecting to Corrie. Marnie knows she has to continue the work in honour of her grandfather. This is a story of connecting parallel lives in a desperate bid to survive.

Mandy Robotham writes war stories so well as she seems to be able to bring it alive and make you utterly invest in the main characters lives. You can smell the cordite in the air as well as taste the fear, see the rubble left behind and hear the danger especially from the approaching boots in occupied Amsterdam. The writing is vivid and although you know what happens it still has the capacity to shock because the author makes it personal.

This is a story of exemplary bravery with unseen danger and the very real possibility of betrayal. It’s very tense at times particularly in Amsterdam but all the characters have to have their eyes peeled and use all their senses the whole time as there’s the claustrophobia of being watched. It’s a story of survival anyway, anyhow. It’s full of fear, cruelty, terrifying manipulation but also of audacity. There’s everything from treachery to sadness and grief to firm bonds of friendship. I become totally caught up in their lives and will them on.

The ending feels a bit rushed and though it brings everything up to date I think this powerful novel deserves a powerful ending. Despite this I have no hesitation in recommending to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is a great read. I had no idea that radio operators were called pianists but it makes sense after reading this book. I realize it was a fictional tale but it really gives a picture of what it must have been like to live in war times. Constant bombing with fear of death and fear of capture for those in the Resistance.
The characters in this story really gave a feeling of life in a frightening time. Every time they were bombed, I could feel the fear that swept through them all and the underground shelters made me feel claustrophobic. That fear of would they be hit and buried alive! Then, they were sure of a ‘mole’ in their ranks. Who was it? Who could they trust? Who could Marnie trust? I really couldn’t put this book down because I just had to know the outcome! It’s a great read and I’d highly recommend it.

Wow! This is the best of Mandy Robotham's novels that I've read. It kept me gripped the whole way. I love the way the story is written in the present and the 'voice' of the narrator; it keeps up the tension and the involvement of the reader. The plot is fairly predictable, but it doesn't matter. I really enjoyed the characters - they're totally believable - and having a setting in a slightly different than usual country for WWII makes a welcome change. Thanks to the publisher, Avon Books, for the opportunity to read it.

The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham

July, 1940

Blitz-ridden London: Marnie Fern’s life is torn apart when her grandfather is killed in an air raid. But once she discovers that he’d been working undercover as a radio operative – or Pianist – for the Dutch resistance, Marnie knows she must complete his mission – no matter the cost…

Nazi-occupied Amsterdam: At the other end of the wireless, fellow pianist Corrie Bakker is caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to keep her loved ones out of the line of fire – even if it means sacrificing herself.

Another great read by this author. She does this genre of books perfectly and really gets under the skin of her female characters .
She is also very good at setting the tension and intrigue during the war years and how it must have been for those people willing to put their lives in extreme danger for the greater good for those most in need.
Brilliant.

Another fantastic read from this author.
A very emotional and interesting novel about Holland under Nazi rule during WW2. The book start with the Dutch Resistance operating in London through radio operators ( Pianists).
Marnie works for the BBC but finds herself training as a part time radio operator. She meets up with Willum who is running the London operation. Circumstances however send them to Holland where they have to live under Nazi occupation which is brutal and frightening.

A powerful beginning merging into a powerful plot with a storyline I couldn't put down. Vivid descriptions of London Blitz, very interesting insights into the Dutch resistance, its early organisation made this novel absorbing! The fact that there is a mole brings even more tension and breath holding to the plot sustained up to the conclusion. I really enjoyed it, as I did all of the author's novels!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

From London to Amsterdam

An exciting and heartbreaking story of WWII resistance in Amsterdam. A story of courage and strength of those brave men and women that resisted the Nazi's during the occupation of Amsterdam.

Marnie is working at the BBC in London when she is recruited by Willem a member of the resistance to be a Pianist during the London Blitz of WWII. A pianist was what a radio operator was known as. He finds her in the ruins of her grandfather's shop and tells her that her grandfather was working with the resistance and that she would be perfect to take over his job. She is thinks about the offer and the fact that her grandfather was killed during the Blitz by a bomb. After that she decides she must do what she can to help stop the Nazi's.

As a pianist for the resistance she talks to a pianist in Amsterdam passing on news from London to Amsterdam as they are occupied by the Nazi's and have no outside news coming in. The two women Marnie and Corrie grow fond of each other. When Corrie goes missing and Willem disappears she travels to Amsterdam with another resistance member to find them

An exciting historical story of the fight in Amsterdam. The Characters are wonderfully set for the story, the places and scenes are vividly described and the war scenes are accurately described for the historical period covered.

War is never pleasant it is always brutal and evil and should never happen. Unfortunately it does and when it does it is tragic for everyone . One of the greatest things we can ever pray for is peace.

This story has everything, espionage, love and romance, danger, betrayal, flight, imprisonment by the Nazi's and the daring exploits of the young resistance fighters.

This was a great story and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Mandy Robotham for writing another great WWII story, to Avon Books U.K. for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Historical fiction written by a talented author. Secrets…family and friends…war…Fears…this is a cannot put down novel that is fiction but reads like nonfiction…the characters come to life on the pages of this story. It is as if we know them. This would make a great thought provoking movie. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks also to the publisher and the author. Escape to a war torn nation…learn and possibly remember what we have read previously, but in a different setting…